Black-throated Coucal vs Sulawesi Cuckoo

Centropus leucogaster compared with Cuculus crassirostris

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Black-throated Coucal Sulawesi Cuckoo
Scientific Name Centropus leucogaster Cuculus crassirostris
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 39.2 cm (15.4 in) 41.2 cm (16.2 in)
Weight 309.0 g (10.90 oz) 85.0 g (3.00 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2 --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Black-throated Coucal only

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Black-throated Coucal

Song

Deep, hollow resonant booming call; powerful low notes carrying across rainforest in Southeast Asia.

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Black-throated Coucal

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

How to Tell Them Apart

Black-throated Coucal

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Plumage

Sulawesi Cuckoo: dark gray-brown above; pale below; long dark tail; yellow orbital ring; Sulawesi endemic; larger than most Cuculus

About These Birds

Black-throated Coucal

Black-throated Coucal (Centropus leucogaster) — 40–46 cm. Rufous above; black head, throat, and breast; white belly; long tail. Inhabits dense forest and secondary growth in West and Central Africa. Non-parasitic. Omnivore; secretive in dense undergrowth.

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Sulawesi Cuckoo (Cuculus crassirostris) — 30–34 cm. Dark grey above; pale below with bold brown-grey barring; heavier bill than most Cuculus. Endemic to Sulawesi in montane forest. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Poorly known.

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